Tabletop basketball game

ABSTRACT

The invention is a game that includes a miniature basketball court. Players control the rotational direction and the side to side movement of their team members. A player scores a goal by shooting a miniature basketball through a basket or hole in the goal. The basketball court comprises several crescent-shaped regions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a tabletop version of the gameof basketball. This invention is based on principles similar to that offoosball in which two to four players engage in a game that emphasizesand aids in the development/strengthening of hand and eye coordination.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Many games operated in arcades and pubs teach hand and eyecoordination. Games, such as foosball or pool, train a users dexterityand are operated in many entertainment businesses. These games areenjoyed by people of all ages and are usually a great source of revenue.They are also a source of entertainment for spectators. The games aremanufactured in such a way that they are functional and affordable forboth home and commercial uses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention is a tabletop basketball game having aseries of crescent shaped regions that represents a basketball court.The basketball court includes typical markings such as a key, foul lineand tip-off circle. Players of the game are positioned on opposite sidesof the court facing one another.

[0006] Each player controls a team that has team members arranged on tworods. The rods are arranged above the basketball court and locatedequidistance from one another above the crescent shaped regions andallow two-dimensional movement of the team members. The team members canbe rotated about the rods and can be moved towards and away from theplayers. Each team member has a spoon-like feature for accommodating aminiature basketball.

[0007] The game includes backboards at either end of the basketballcourt and has two methods of scoring. In the first scoring method, aplayer's team members slam dunk the miniature basketball by throwing itthrough a hoop or net located against a backboard. A goal is also scoredby rolling or throwing the miniature basketball through a goal openinglocated below the hoop or net

[0008] Other embodiments of the game include three-point lines similarto those displayed on actual basketball courts. When a player shoots andscores from outside the three-point line, he will score a greater numberof points than if he shoots inside the three-point line.

[0009] It is an object of the invention to provide and teach a game thatis enjoyed by people of all ages.

[0010] It is another object of the invention to provide a game that iseasy to operate, uses no electricity and may be a source of revenue forthe owner.

[0011] It is another object of the invention to provide a game thatimproves dexterity and is affordable for both home and commercial uses.

[0012] These objects and others will become apparent when theaforementioned discussion is taken in conjunction with the followingdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is an overhead view of the invention.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the invention.

[0016]FIG. 4 is an end view of the goal.

[0017]FIG. 5 is an end view of the invention.

[0018]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The following is the preferred embodiment or best mode forcarrying out the invention. It should be noted that this invention isnot limited by the discussion of the preferred embodiment.

[0020]FIG. 1 is an overhead view of the game 100. Baskets or hoops 2 arelocated at each end of the basketball court 4. Four rods 7 intersectside panels 6. The rods 7 pass through bearings 9 or other frictionreducing means. The rods 7 include players 5 affixed thereto. Handles 10are attached to an end of the rods 7. End boards 22 support baskets orhoops 2.

[0021]FIG. 2 is a side view of the game 100. A cover 12 comprised oftransparent plastic or plexi-glass prevents the ball 11 from beingthrown from or leaving the game 100. Backboards 1 are provided behindhoops 2. The backboards 1 are used in the same manner as those in aregular basketball game. The ball 11 can be thrown against the backboard1 causing the ball 11 to be deflected into the hoop 2. Team members 5include spoon-like recesses 21 for moving the ball 11 towards the goal3.

[0022]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the game 100. The court 4comprises a plurality of crescent-shaped portions 25. Eachcrescent-shaped portion 25 includes two peaks 26 and one valley 27. Teammembers 5 are positioned above the valleys 27 such that the ends of theteam members 5 maintain a constant distance from the court 4 as the teammembers 5 are rotated around the rods 7. The team members 5 are equippedwith two spoon-like recesses 21, one recess on either side of the teammember 5.

[0023]FIG. 4 is a view of the goal 3. The backboard 1 includes ashooting square 17. The ball 11 is thrown towards the shooting square 17on backboard 1. If the ball 11 hits the shooting square 17, it willdeflect into the hoop 2 to score points. The goal 3 also includes anopening 28 into which the ball 11 may be rolled or thrown to score.

[0024]FIG. 5 is an end view of the game 100. End boards 22 support thegoal 3 and backboard 1. Cover 12 prevents the ball 11 from leaving theplaying surface of the game 100.

[0025]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the game 100. A player grasps thehandles 10 and controls the movement of the team members 5 by twistingthe handles 10 to rotate team members 5. The team members 5 move acrossthe court 4 by sliding the rods 7 through the bearings 9. Stoppers 8prevent the team members 5 from being pushed into side panels 6.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 6, a player moves the ball 11 by positioning itin the spoon-like recess 21 and throwing or rolling the ball 11 towardsthe goal 3. Basketball markings simulating those on a real basketballcourt are provided on court 4, as shown. Legs 13 are provided on thegame 11.

[0027] An opening 16 is provided for putting the basketball into play. Aplayer simply drops the ball 11 onto the basketball court 4 through theopening 16 and the game begins. It should be noted that the opening 16is shown on the side of the cover 12 for ease in understanding theinvention. However, the opening 16 may be provided above the middle ofthe basketball court 4. Or, openings may be provided on both sides ofcover 12 for allowing each player a chance to put the basketball intoplay.

[0028] The game 100 is also equipped with a ball return slot 15. In theresidential version of the game, the ball 11 returns to the ball returnslot 15 after a goal has been scored. Tubing or other suitable meansguide the ball from either goal into the ball return slot 15.

[0029] Game 100 is also shown with a coin slot or actuator 14. A playerdeposits a predetermined amount of coins into the coin slot 14 to have aball deposited into the ball return slot 15. This feature is onlyprovided on the commercial use version of the game. The game 100 may beequipped with a mechanism that allows a predetermined number of goals tobe scored before a player must deposit more money to continue playingthe game. It may also be equipped with a timer for timing either halvesor quarters of the total game.

[0030] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theexact construction illustrated and described above, but that variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing from the spiritand the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:
 1. A game comprising: a miniature basketball court havingsideboards and a basketball; a plurality of team members arranged onrods that pass through said side boards; and baskets arranged at eachend of the basketball court.
 2. The game of claim 1 wherein said rodsare parallel to said miniature basketball court.
 3. The game of claim 1wherein said team members include a spoon-like recess for receiving aminiature basketball.
 4. The game of claim 1 further comprising a goalhaving an opening.
 5. The game of claim 1 further comprising backboardsto which said baskets are attached.
 6. The game of claim 1 furthercomprising handles affixed to said rods.
 7. The game of claim 1 furthercomprising stops fixed to said rods for preventing the team members fromcontacting the sideboards.
 8. The game of claim 1 further comprisingfriction reducing means affixed to said sideboards and through whichsaid rods pass.
 9. The game of claim 1 wherein said miniature basketballcourt includes crescent-shaped portions.
 10. The game of claim 1 furthercomprising legs for supporting the miniature basketball court.
 11. Thegame of claim 1 further comprising a protective covering for preventingthe basketball from leaving miniature basketball court.
 12. The game ofclaim 1 wherein said basketball comprises a lightweight durable plasticmaterial.
 13. A miniature basketball game including a basketballcomprising: a basketball court having sideboards and a plurality ofcrescent-shaped portions; a plurality of basketball players arranged onrods that pass through said side boards; and goals arranged at each endof the basketball court.
 14. The miniature basketball game of claim 13wherein said goals further include both an opening and a basket forreceiving the basketball.
 15. The miniature basketball game of claim 13wherein said players include a spoon-like recess for receiving thebasketball.
 16. The miniature basketball game of claim 13 furthercomprising backboards attached to said goals.
 17. The miniaturebasketball game of claim 13 further comprising legs.
 18. The miniaturebasketball game of claim 13 further comprising a protective cover. 19.The miniature basketball game of claim 13 wherein said rods are parallelto said basketball court.
 20. A miniature basketball game comprising: abasketball court that includes sideboards, end boards andcrescent-shaped portions; goals affixed at each end of said basketballcourt, said goals including a basket and an opening for scoring points;and, a plurality of basketball players arranged on rods that passthrough said sideboards, each of said basketball players includes atleast one spoon-like recess for receiving a miniature basketball, saidrods includes handles attached thereto.